The current Coronavirus crisis has seen small businesses and wedding vendors take a blow. Here’s how you can do your bit.

Pushing the date of your wedding ahead during these uncertain times is a tough decision to make. Especially when you’ve been looking forward to your big day for months or for years, probably. But in situations like these, it’s also important to consider the impact that not only you but also your wedding vendors are bearing.

In all likelihood, your wedding vendors which included but isn’t limited to planners, photographers, decorators, florists, and caterers also have a team dependent on them for their livelihood and a helping hand from you is probably all it would take for them to keep their businesses afloat a little more easily during these tough times.

Here are a few ways in which you can extend a helping hand to all those who promised to make your dream wedding come true:

Don’t cancel, reschedule: The coming months are full of uncertainties but it’s essential that you put faith in your vendors and push the date ahead rather than canceling altogether. While you may have paid the deposit or a little more to your vendors, they, in turn, would have also made budget decisions on their end. Rescheduling your nuptials will not only save them from this monetary loss but it’ll also save you from searching for new vendors when the pandemic is over. Additionally, your continuing patronage will also be a symbol of your faith in them and spur your vendors to be more efficient on your big day.

Make your decisions now: Staying behind closed doors may not have been on your list of things to do before the wedding but there’s a silver lining here too! Now is the time you can easily make all your pending decisions, be it decor, makeup, photography or something as simple as wedding favors and hone your planning skills to perfection. Update those Pinterest boards and bookmark inspirational stories on WeddingSutra that you find interesting and would love to include in your wedding to take your celebrations a notch higher than what you’d previously imagined.

Go local: While many big chains might’ve closed shop for now, in distressing times like these, it’s the smaller businesses that are gasping for air. For these entrepreneurs, a little support from your end can go a long way.

During Lockdown: You can easily utilize this time to shortlist the kind of dishes you’d want from your caterer or choose a floral color scheme by contacting your local florists. Now is the time to take full advantage of technology by sharing your ideas and thoughts with your vendors without stepping out of your home.

Post Lockdown: Even a little support post lockdown from your end will ensure that the small businesses in your neighborhood survive after the crisis. Assign the decorations for your smaller functions, like, haldi or mehndi to your local florist. Additionally, you can also order desserts from a smaller bakery and food from a local catering service to help these smaller businesses get back on their feet. For wedding favors, opt for simple utilitarian gifts that have been sourced locally.

Spread positivity: Sometimes, a few words of positivity can help a person in more ways than you can imagine. While you may not be able to help your vendors immediately for your own reasons, dropping in a few good words about them online will make sure their businesses have an opportunity to thrive once this distressing period has passed. Do go ahead and post reviews on their WeddingSutra profiles. Try and spread the word around in your friend circle or leave encouraging comments on their social media handles.

Support the DJs and musicians by sharing their playlists online, because what’s better than good music to keep others occupied during such times? Design a ‘change-the-date’ not only to support your invitation designers but to also spread the word about your plans.

Shortlist your vendors: If you’re someone who plans to get married in the near future, then now is your time to do good and shortlist or book vendors who’ll be in most need of business once the pandemic ends. Use this time to brief them and get to know their style of work remotely. Remember, many of these ‘wed-preneurs’ are currently working from home and are now easily available for a quick chat to discuss ideas with you in a more in-depth manner.